Choice and sin in homosexuality January 10, 2009
Posted by Damian in Biblical Exegesis and Interpretation, Sex, Sexuality and Marriage.Tags: Chris J.H. Wright, Corinthians, Genesis, genetics, homosexuality, judges, Leviticus, Old Testament Ethics for the People of God, Romans, sensitivity, Sexuality, sin, the law, Timothy, tolerance
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Like James McGrath, I don’t understand why many Christians have trouble believing that exhibiting homosexuality is not under an individuals control. This is something I believe. I’ve known many gay men and women, and none of them have ever told me of the moment they decided to be gay. Most can either point to the moment they first realised, or to an experience which affected them in a major way.
But to me, the fact that you are not in control of some aspect of who you are – whether it be a genetic trait, something environmental or experiential or congenital – does not excuse you from the responsibility from your actions.
The truth is, we are not wholly in control of any part of who we are, whether we are gay or straight. Much is determined by our genetics, our upbringing, our schooling, and many other factors. But nevertheless, we are still responsible for our actions, and if we are predisposed to a sinful action, we are not legitimised in that action because of our upbringing, schooling, or genetics.
We are not wholly in control of who we are, but we are always responsible for what we do.
Now, I do not beleive that homosexuality is a sin, anymore than any ground state is a sin. If anything is a sin, it is the particular actions of same-sex intercourse. And that even isn’t obvious. I’m not convinced that Romans 1 speaks of this, or that the lists in 1 Timothy and 1 Corinthians mention it at all in the Greek (here’s a summary of why). Old Testament texts like Genesis 19 and Judges 19 are problematic mines for ethics generally. The only texts that seem ‘clear’ on the subject are the laws in Leviticus (18 and 20), but they are contextualised with other laws on slavery, family law and capital punishment which we would find abhorrent. The thing the laws governing sexual ethics in the Old Testament have in common is the desire to maintain the internal integrity of the extended familial social structure (Chris J.H. Wright argues this in ‘Old Testament Ethics for the People of God’, in which case these particular laws would have to be creatively re-interpreted in order to be applied in our western contexts.
That wasn’t an argument, but rather a summary to say that the truth is, the scriptural witness is unclear whether or not same-sex intercourse is a sin. And, if I don’t beleive we are in control of who we are, but are responsible for what we do, then I think the solution is to treat homosexuality with the same tolerance and sensitivity that we treat any other aspect of someones life that a person is not in control of. And be a bit humble about our judgement – because seriously, if judgement is the Lords, if any of us don’t realise we’re doing the wrong thing, we’ll find out eventually.
The Bible does not say … God so loved straight people …” or “… love your non-gay neighbour as yourself”. God loves ALL people, regardless of age, race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. And He calls us to do the same. Loving people doesn’t mean condoning their lifestyle but it does mean seeking their best interests and seeking to show them the same grace that God has shown us.
The Bible teaches that all human beings are created in the image of God and that human life is therefore precious. The individual has significance and dignity just by being human and every human is loved by God. This may sound banal but it is actually incredibly profound. However we behave, whatever our proclivities (which we all have one way or another)we are precious!
I agree totally. The issue of one’s homosexuality (and the rightness or wrongness of it) is a completely different issue from how we as Christians should treat people. The former is completely irrelevant to the latter.
I agree with your comment, Damian, that the issue of one’s homosexuality is a completely different issue from how we as Christians should treat people.
I do believe that Romans 1 is referring to the homosexual act. I believe that homosexual inclinations are not a sin, just as heterosexual adulterous or lustful inclincations are not the sin in themselves.
I don’t think we can separate any temptation as worse than another. But acting on those inclinations are all equally sinful. I think the Scriptures, from the Old Testament to the New, are clear on this.
Danielle,
I hope you went to the site I linked to which explains why it is unclear whether or not Romans 1 refers to the homosexual act. Because of that, I’d prefer not to make the judgement (although were I a homosexual Christian, I’d err on the side of caution – luckily, I do not have to make such a sacrifice).
Give the Old Testament system of punishments for sin, I think that at some level, sins can be ‘graded’. That is not to say that we are not all sinful creatures, but rather that some sins are certainly worse than others. I find it odd that you would consider deceit to be as horrible an act against your neighbour as murder.